Cigarette tube filling device

ABSTRACT

The cigarette tube filling device (100) comprises a housing bottom part (1), consisting of a base part (2) and of a cover part (3), as well as a housing top part (6). There is formed a press chamber (8), the lower half of which is formed by a tongue (12) and the upper half (11) of which is formed by a part-cylindrical recess (11) of the top part (6). The housing top part (6) is mounted on the housing bottom part (1) pivotably about an axis (7) extending parallel to the press chamber (8). In the housing bottom part (1), a straight guide (27, 28) parallel to the press chamber (8) is provided for the slide (20) comprising the tongue (12).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a cigarette tube filling device with a housingbottom part having an approximately semicylindrical lower half of apress chamber for forming a shaped tobacco article.

2. Description of Related Art

A cigarette tube filling device of this type is disclosed in DE2,159,054. In this document, the housing bottom part is block-like andon the top side has, for forming a press chamber, an approximatelysemi-cylindrical recess, on which a thin-walled semicylindrical tonguerests having an end remote from the ejection nozzle provided with anabutment and a pin-shaped extension projecting outward through a slot atthe housing bottom part transversely to the axis of the press chamber.In one embodiment, finger engagement takes place directly on a sphericalthick portion of the extension, and in another embodiment there isprovided a slide which engages over the housing top part pivoteddownward onto the housing bottom part and which grasps the end of theextension by means of a perforation and offers a relatively largeengagement surface.

In both cases, the guidance of the tongue leaves much to be desired. Thepropulsive force exerted on the end of the extension on the outsideleads to a bending moment which is conducted to the end of thethin-walled tongue. This results in one-sided bearing of the tongue inthe semicylindrical recess of the housing bottom part and inconsiderable friction. The forces, already appreciable in any case,which are necessary for pushing out the formed pressurized tobaccostrand into the cigarette tube are further intensified as a result ofthe friction.

This known embodiment is also complicated to produce, either because thehousing bottom part must be openable at the end so that the tonguetogether with the abutment and the extension can be pushed in from theend, or because a separate extension has to be connected to the tongueand the abutment through the slot from the side.

DE 2,055,673C discloses a similar cigarette tube filling device which,laterally of the actual filling device, also comprises a storage spacefor tobacco.

In this document, the extension located on the tongue is angled at 90°and extends through a corresponding duct to the side wall, where anactuating knob is provided. At the same time, the tongue, in aself-supporting manner, forms the lower half of the press volume.However, guidance in the angled duct easily leads to tilts and,moreover, makes it necessary for the housing bottom part to be composedof a plurality of parts in the region of this duct.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a generic cigarette tubefilling machine which works smoothly and is easy to assemble. Thisobject is achieved by means of a cigarette tube filling devicecomprising:

a housing bottom part including an approximately semicylindrical lowerhalf of a press chamber, said press chamber having a length;

a housing top part including an approximately semicylindrical upper halfof said press chamber;

said housing top part having an opened position for allowing receipt oftobacco into said lower half of said press chamber and pivoting to aclosed position about a pivot axis parallel to an axis of said presschamber;

a nozzle at one end of said press chamber and concentric to said presschamber, said nozzle having a diameter approximately equal to a diameterof said press chamber;

a device for clamping a cigarette tube on said nozzle when said housingtop part is pivoted to said closed position; and

a unitary component comprising

a flute-shaped tongue extending in said housing bottom part along asubstantial part of said length of said press chamber and receiving saidtobacco;

a slide at an end of said press chamber opposite said nozzle, forming anabutment for an end of a shaped tobacco article, and being displaceablealong said press chamber; and

an extension extending through a lateral slot of said housing bottompart and having a handle arranged outside said housing bottom part fordisplacing said unitary component along said press chamber;

wherein said housing bottom part is subdivided at a separating plane andcomprises a trough-shaped base part and a cover part;

a linear guide projection protrudes from one of said base part and saidcover part parallel to said press chamber and engages said slide of saidunitary component; and

when said base part and cover part are separated, said unitary componentcan be inserted into said housing bottom part transversely to saidseparating plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide in the above cigarettetube filling device a component consisting of tongue, slide andextension which can be inserted into the base part, whereupon the coverpart is attached and assembled together with the base part. Thisassembly alone at the same time brings into operation the straight guidewhich ensures exact support against the propulsive forces, without thetongue itself having to perform a guidance function.

Another object is to provide a cigarette tube filling device as above,wherein said guide projection is formed in said base part.

Another object is to provide a cigarette tube filling device as above,wherein said guide projection comprises a guide web projecting upwardfrom said base part and extending parallel to said press chamber; and

said slide includes a guide groove, complimentary to said guide web andformed to closely surround said guide web.

Another object is to provide a cigarette tube filling device as above,wherein said device further comprises snap connection means for joiningsaid base part and said cover part.

Another object is to provide a cigarette tube filling device as above,wherein said guide web projects parallel to said press chamber andadjacent said extension.

Another object is to provide a cigarette tube filling device as above,wherein a supporting web extends from said bottom of said base part overa portion of said length of said press chamber and engages an undersideof said tongue.

Another object is to provide a cigarette tube filling device as above,wherein said handle extends adjacent said housing over a height of saidhousing and can be grasped between two fingers.

Another object is to provide a device as above, wherein assembly of thetwo parts of the housing bottom part should take place by means of asnap connection, so that assembly can be carried out virtually with onemanipulation.

For reasons of saving of space, it is preferred to arrange the guide webon the sides of the press chamber which face the extension.

Since the tongue, in a self-supporting manner, forms the lower part ofthe press chamber, the tongue is exposed to pressure caused by thecompression of the tobacco strand when the housing top part is pivoteddownward and the tobacco strand is formed. For support against thispressure, a supporting web is provided. Guidance of the handle, that isto say the extension and the slide, is not loaded by the handle graspingforces. Moreover, in this case, the exertion of the propulsive forcepresents particularly few problems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the cigarette tube filling device inthe initial state;

FIG. 2 shows a view according to FIG. 1 from the left on an enlargedscale;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the cigarette tube filling device,with the housing top part swung open;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the cigarette tube filling deviceafter the filling of a cigarette tube has taken place;

FIG. 5 shows a cross section approximately along the line IV--IV in FIG.1;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the component comprising the tongue, theslide and the extension together with the handle, in section along theline VI--VI in FIG. 8;

FIG. 7 shows a view according to FIG. 6 from the left; and

FIG. 8 shows a view according to FIG. 6 from above in section along theline VIII--VIII.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The cigarette tube filling device, designated as a whole by 100 in FIG.1, is represented there approximately in its natural size. It has agenerally elongately cuboidal outer shape, the longest side of thecuboid extending parallel to the press chamber. The cigarette tubefilling device 100 can therefore be carried conveniently in a jacketpocket.

The cigarette tube filling device 100 comprises a housing bottom part 1which itself consists of a base part 2 and a cover part 3 which areseparated along a separating plane 5 approximately parallel to the basesurface 4 and which can be connected to one another by means ofhook-like snap connections attached at a plurality of locations and notreproduced in the drawings.

In the normal operating position evident in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, when thecigarette tube filling device is being used, the latter rests with thebase surface 4 on a horizontal bed, for example a table. The horizontalprojections of the base part 2 and of the cover part 3 of the housingbottom part 1 overlap one another in this case.

In the region of an upper lateral longitudinal edge, the housing toppart 6 is mounted foldably or pivotably in a lid-like manner about apivot axis 7. The housing top part extends over approximatelythree-quarters of the length of the housing bottom part, that is to sayapproximately over the length of a cigarette. The housing top part 6has, on the underside facing the housing bottom part 1 during pivoting,a longitudinal web 10 which, on its lower edge, has a partiallycylindrical concave recess 11 which, when the lid-like housing top part6 is "folded shut", enters a corresponding elongate recess 9 of thecover part 3 of the housing bottom part; The press chamber, designatedas a whole by 8, is formed in the recess 9, which press chamber,according to FIG. 3, is limited upward by the part-cylindrical recess 11of the housing top part 6 and downward by a semi-cylindricallybowl-shaped tongue 12. The recess 11 and the tongue 12 together limitthe approximately cylindrical press chamber 8, the diameter and lengthof which correspond approximately to a cigarette.

That end of the press chamber 8 at the top in FIG. 3 is formed by anabutment 13 perpendicular to the axis of the press chamber 8 and formedon a slide 20 (FIG. 5) which is guided in the housing bottom part 1 on astraight guide extending parallel to the axis of the press chamber 8 andwhich can be displaced forward on a handle 14 according to FIGS. 1, 3and 4, as is evident from FIG. 4. The tongue 12 and the abutment 13 aretaken up during this movement.

The wall 15 at the end of the press chamber 8 facing away from theabutment 13 in the position according to FIG. 3 has a perforation in theaxial direction, the diameter of which corresponds approximately to thatof a cigarette and which is surrounded by a nozzle 16 connected to thecover part 3. The nozzle 16 projects from the front side of the wall 15and is exposed all-round, so that a finished cigarette tube 17 can bepushed onto the nozzle 16 in the manner indicated by dot-and-dash linesin FIG. 3.

Mounted above the nozzle 16 in the cover part 3 is an elastomeric body18 which is freely accessible from above and which, in the relievedstate reproduced in FIG. 3, provides with its underside a smallclearance relative to the top side of the nozzle 16, so that pushing thecigarette tube 17 in is not impeded.

Provided on the underside of the housing top part 6 is a projection 19which, when the housing top part 6 is folded shut, exactly meets theelastomeric body 18 and deforms the latter in the way evident from FIG.2, with the result that the latter comes into place with its undersidefirmly on that end of the cigarette tube 17 supported by the nozzle 16and clamps the cigarette tube 17 against forces which endeavor to pullthe cigarette tube 17 off from the nozzle 16.

The initial position for producing a cigarette is reproduced in FIG. 3.The housing top part 6 is folded open. The press chamber 8 is accessiblefrom above. Loose tobacco is now introduced into the press chamber 8 asevenly as possible in a quantity sufficient for a cigarette. Thecigarette tube 17 is slipped onto the nozzle 16. The housing top part 6is then pivoted downward and the loose tobacco is pressed by the web 10to form an approximately cylindrical strand which rests on the tongue12. With the housing top part closed the molding or elastomeric body 18retains the cigarette tube 17 on the nozzle 16.

The tongue 12 is now pushed forward according to FIG. 4 by means of thehandle 14, with the tongue 12 passing through the nozzle 16 into thecigarette tube and taking up the tobacco strand which is pushed by theabutment 13. In the position shown in FIG. 4, the tobacco strand intransferred completely into the cigarette tube 17.

The handle 14 is then returned again into the rear position reproducedin FIGS. 1 and 3, the tongue 12 being drawn out of the cigarette tube 17and the tobacco strand remaining in the cigarette tube 17 on account ofthe greater friction on the paper of the latter. The housing top partcan then be released, with the result that the elastomeric molding 18 isrelieved and the cigarette tube 17, filled with tobacco, can be pulledoff from the nozzle 16.

The design of the cigarette tube filling machine 100 on the inside isshown in FIGS. 5 to 8. It is evident from the cross section of FIG. 5that the tongue 12 together with the abutment 13 is attached to a slide,designated as a whole by 20, from which an extension 21 approximatelyparallel to the base surface 4 of the base part 2 and located in theregion of the interface between the base part 2 and the cover part 3extends outward through a lateral slot 22 of the housing bottom part.The handle 14 sits on the extension 21 just outside the housing bottompart 1 and has a part 23 which extends approximately over the height ofthe housing bottom part plus the housing top part 6 and which has at thetop, just above the housing top part 6, an angling portion 24 partiallyengaging over the housing top part 6 and, at the bottom, anequidirectional angling portion 25 which engages a corresponding recess26 of the base part 3 and which has its underside aligned with the basesurface. The handle 14 can thereby be grasped with two fingerssimultaneously from above and below, so that the grasping forces do notload the guide of the slide.

The slide 20 extends between the press chamber 8 and the handle 14. Thestraight guide for the slide 20 comprises a guide web 27 which projectsupward from the bottom of the trough-shaped or bowl-shaped base part 2,narrows slightly upward and is parallel to the press chamber 8corresponding to the cigarette and therefore to the advance of the slide20. Guide web 27, according to FIG. 5, engages a corresponding recess 28of the slide 20 from below, which recess 28 surrounds the web 27 withonly a slight amount of play, but still in an easily slidable manner.

A web 29 running approximately parallel to the bottom of the base part 2extends from the slide 20 toward the press chamber 8, which web 29 isangled upward in the region of the press chamber 8 and is connected tothe underside of the tongue 12 at a point located outside its center onthe side of the slide 20. The tongue 12 is therefore kept completelyfree by the straight guide web 27 and recess 28 from tilting momentsexerted by the handle 14.

When tobacco is located in the press chamber 8 and is compressed duringthe downward pivoting of the housing top part 6, according to FIG. 5,the tongue 12 experiences downward-directed forces, against which it issupported as a result of the hearing of its lower region on a supportingweb 30 projecting from the bottom of the base part 2 and extendingparallel to the press chamber 8.

The tongue 12, slide 20, extension 21 and handle 14 form a unitarycomponent 40 which is represented in FIGS. 6 to 8. This component, likethe remaining parts of the cigarette tube filling device 100, can beinjection-molded from plastic. The length of the tongue 12 from theleft-hand end 12' as far as the abutment 13 corresponds to the length ofthe tobacco strand in the cigarette. The length of the handle 14,especially of the upper part 24, is selected in such a way that itcovers that rear part of the housing bottom part 1 which is free of thehousing top part 6, as is evident from FIGS. 1 and 3, so that, in thisposition of the handle 14, the housing top part 6 can be swung upward.The height of the handle 6 above the cover part 3 is selected in such away that the part 24 of the handle can he guided over the housing toppart 6 with a slight clearance, as is evident from FIGS. 4 and 5.Provided on the top side of the cover part 3, in the vicinity of theoverhanging edge of the part 24 of the handle 14, is a web 31 whichcovers the gap between the part 24 and the top side of the cover part 3,so that no foreign bodies can infiltrate between them in the transportposition reproduced in FIG. 1.

The assembly of the cigarette tube filling device 100 is particularlysimple. It is necessary merely to attach the housing top part 6pivotably to the cover part 3. The component of FIG. 6 to 8, designatedas a whole by 40, is inserted into the base part 2 of the housing bottompart. The cover part is then placed on top and fastened by snapping itin. The straight guide web 27 and recess 28 consequently can beactivated without the parts being capable of coming loose from oneanother again and without detachable housing parts having to be present,for example on the end faces. A housing design essentially closedall-round and protected against the penetration of dirt is obtained.

We claim:
 1. A cigarette tube filling device comprising:a housing bottompart including an approximately semicylindrical lower half of a presschamber, said press chamber having a length; a housing top partincluding an approximately semicylindrical upper half of said presschamber; said housing top part having an opened position for allowingreceipt of tobacco into said lower half of said press chamber andpivoting to a closed position about a pivot axis parallel to an axis ofsaid press chamber; a nozzle at one end of said press chamber andconcentric to said press chamber, said nozzle having a diameterapproximately equal to a diameter of said press chamber; a device forclamping a cigarette tube on said nozzle when said housing top part ispivoted to said closed position; and a unitary component comprisingaflute-shaped tongue extending in said housing bottom part along asubstantial part of said length of said press chamber and receiving saidtobacco; a slide at an end of said press chamber opposite said nozzle,forming an abutment for an end of a shaped tobacco article, and beingdisplaceable along said press chamber; and an extension extendingthrough a lateral slot of said housing bottom part and having a handlearranged outside said housing bottom part for displacing said unitarycomponent along said press chamber; wherein said housing bottom part issubdivided at a separating plane and comprises a trough-shaped base partand a cover part; a linear guide projection protrudes from one of saidbase part and said cover part parallel to said press chamber and engagessaid slide of said unitary component; and when said base part and coverpart are separated, said unitary component can be inserted into saidhousing bottom part transversely to said separating plane.
 2. Acigarette tube filling device according to claim 1, wherein said guideprojection is formed in said base part.
 3. A cigarette tube fillingdevice according to claim 2, wherein said guide projection comprises aguide web projecting upward from said base part and extending parallelto said press chamber; andsaid slide includes a guide groove,complimentary to said guide web and formed to closely surround saidguide web.
 4. A cigarette tube filling device according to claim 3,wherein said guide web projects parallel to said press chamber andadjacent said extension.
 5. A cigarette tube filling device according toclaim 1, wherein said device further comprises snap connection means forjoining said base part and said cover part.
 6. A cigarette tube fillingdevice according to claim 1, wherein a supporting web extends from saidbottom of said base part over a portion of said length of said presschamber and engages an underside of said tongue.
 7. A cigarette tubefilling device according to claim 1, wherein said handle extendsadjacent said housing over a height of said housing and can be graspedbetween two fingers.